Wagamama are trying to improve the environmental impact of their delivery business
(Picture: PA)Wagamama is replacing eight million delivery bowls with new recycleable packaging in a move that they say will remove 330 tonnes of plastic from the supply chain every year.
The new packaging, made from cPET, will reduce the carbon footprint of the brand’s most popular dish – katsu curry – by 62%.
The eco-friendly swap has taken four years o with the rollout starting this week and going live across all restaurants and kitchens by October.
Wagamama will also be launching its bowl return programme ‘Bowl Bank’.
CEO Thomas Heier said: “Reducing our use of virgin plastics is a complicated mission – but one we have been dedicated to for four years.
“Months of trial and error, conversations with leading experts, and research into UK waste streams has resulted in a moment where we can finally say we’re proud of our packaging. This is an exciting and overdue step for us but only the beginning.”
Wagamama is one of the first in the hospitality industry to use ‘cPET’ for the bases of their famous bowls, more commonly used for supermarket ready meals.
cPET is a food-safe material made from 70% recycled content. The remaining 30% of the packaging products will be plastics which are needed to maintain the structural integrity of the container.
Simon Ellin, president of the UK Recycling Associatio said: “It’s incredibly encouraging to see businesses like wagamama take accountability for their waste and go to great lengths to research and understand the complex nature of the UK recycling landscape.
“There’s so much misinformation and false claims about where rubbish goes, you really need to take the time to fully understand the problem.”
